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Vol.  XI. 


JULY,  1911 


No.  1 


Ihe 


North  Carolina  Booklet 


GREAT  EVENTS 

IN 

NORTH  CAROLINA 
HISTORY 


PUBLISHED  QUARTERLY 

BY 

NORTH   CAROLINA   SOCIETY 

DAUGHTERS  ofthe  REVOLUTION 

RALEIGH,  N.   C. 


THE 


CONTENTS 

Page 

The  North  Carolina  Union  Men  of  1861  -  3 

By  Major  Wm.  A.  Graham 

Some  Early  Physicians  of  the  Albemarle  -  -  17 

By  Richard  Dillard,  M.D. 

Some  Ballads  of  North  Carolina  -  -  -  26 

By  Professor  John  A.  Lomax 

A  Painting  of  the  Baptism  of  Virginia  Dare  -  -  43 

Tablet  Marking  the  Site  of  the  Old  Town  of  Bloomsbury 

or  Wake  Court  House  -  -  -  45 

Biographical  and  Genealogical  Memoranda         -  -  54 

By  Mrs.  E.  E.  Moffit 

Rowan  County  Wills  and  Marriage  Bonds  -  59 

By  Mrs.  M.  G.  McCubbins 


SINGLE  NUMBERS  35  CENTS 


$1.00  THE  YEAR 


ENTERED  IN  THE   POST-OFFICE   AT   RALEIGH,   N.   C,    AS  SECOND-CLASS   MATTER. 


26  THE  NORTH  CAROLINA  BOOKLET. 

SOME  BALLADS  OF  NORTH  CAROLINA 

BY  PROFESSOR  JOHN  A.  LOMAX, 

(SECRETARY   UNIVERSITY    OF    TEXAS    AND    ASSISTANT    DIRECTOR 
OF    THE    DEPARTMENT    OF   EXTENSION.) 

During  a  ballad-collecting  experience  of  a  number  of  years, 
it  has  come  about  that  no  few  have  fallen  into  my  hands 
from  North  Carolina,  in  my  belief  one  of  the  richest  locali- 
ties in  ballad  material  of  any  section  of  the  United  States. 
A  small  number  of  these  ballads  I  am  printing  at  the  earnest 
solicitation  of  the  editor  of  this  journal,  in  the  hope  that  the 
article  will  awaken  the  interest  of  others  in  preserving  for 
posterity  the  floating  folk  songs  that  abound  in  some  districts 
of  North  Carolina. 

I  should  say  in  the  beginning  that  no  collector  in  the  field 
of  balladry  should  pursue  his  work  on  the  Carolina  coast  with- 
out first  talking  with  Professor  Collier  Cobb,  of  the  Univer- 
sity of  North  Carolina,  and,  if  possible,  getting  a  look  at  his 
valuable  collection.  Professor  Cobb,  although  a  well-known 
scientist,  has  a  genuine  interest  in  ballad  material  that  he 
imbibed  from  the  greatest  of  the  balladists,  perhaps,  in  the 
entire  history  of  letters,  Professor  Child,  of  Harvard  Uni- 
versity. As  a  student  of  Professor  Child,  Professor  Cobb 
learned  to  love  the  native  song  of  the  out-of-doors  people, 
while  he  was  at  the  same  time  being  wedded  to  the  field  of 
geology  through  the  teaching  of  the  great  Southern  educator, 
long  eminent  at  Harvard  University — Professor  N.  S.  Shaler. 
To  Professor  Cobb,  therefore,  I  must  make  due  apology  for 
presuming  to  invade  a  field  already  possessed  so  thoroughly 
by  him. 

The  songs  I  am  printing,  however,  may,  in  time,  lead  many 
people  to  confide  their  treasures  into  the  competent  hands  of 
Professor  Cobb  or  of  other  collectors,   and  therefore  be  of 


SOME  BALLADS  OF  NORTH  CAROLINA.  27 

direct  benefit  to  ballad  collecting  throughout  America.  In 
addition  to  Professor  Cobb,  there  are  other  persons  in  North 
Carolina  who  have  done  good  work  in  this  field.  Among 
them  is  Miss  Adelaide  Fries,  of  Winston-Salem.  Miss  Fries 
has  made  an  interesting  collection  of  Moravian  songs,  which, 
I  am  told,  are  all  religious  in  tone  and  of  German  origin. 
Mr.  Cobb's  collection  consists  chiefly  of  songs  that  he  has 
picked  up  along  the  coast.  Indeed,  these  are  probably  the 
most  interesting  of  all  the  North  Carolina  ballads.  Through 
Miss  S.  O'H.  Dickson,  of  Winston-Salem,  has  come  informa- 
tion of  mountain  corn-husking  songs,  similar  in  spirit  to  the 
negro  corn-husking  songs ;  and  also  mention  of  the  negro  to- 
bacco stripping  songs.  Unfortunately,  I  have  not  been  able 
to  secure  examples  of  either  of  these  classes. 

The  material  that  has  been  sent  to  me  from  other  sources 
in  North  Carolina  may  be  grouped  somewhat  as  follows : 
First,  traditional  songs ;  second,  war  songs ;  third,  negro 
songs ;  fourth,  mountain  songs ;  fifth,  the  coast  songs,  collected 
by  Professor  Collier  Cobb.  The  songs  in  Professor  Cobb's 
collection  are  not  available  for  publication,  inasmuch  as  he 
perhaps  will  issue  them  at  some  time  himself.  He  has, 
however,  consented  to  furnish  the  library  at  Harvard  Uni- 
versity copies  of  all  of  his  collection.  At  Harvard  the  col- 
lection will  become  available  to  all  students  of  the  ballad. 

Before  quoting  any  of  the  songs,  I  should  like  to  ask  the 
readers  of  this  article  to  furnish  me  with  copies  of  the  fol- 
lowing songs : 

1.  "Morgan's  War  Song." 

2.  "Run,  Nigger,  Run." 

3.  "Sal's  in  de  Garden  Siftin'  San'." 

4.  "When  Lillington  Fought  for  Caswell's  Glory." 

I  should  also  appreciate  complete  copies  of  what  the  fol- 
lowing seem  to  be  fragments.     In  some  instances  the  frag- 


28  THE  NORTH  CAROLINA  BOOKLET. 

ment  may  be  the  entire  song,  but  I  should  like  any  informa- 
tion whatever  about  any  one  of  the  songs.  These  fragments 
all  came  from  my  North  Carolina  correspondents. 

Cold,  frosty  morning,  nigger  mighty  good; 
Axe  on  his  shoulder,  gwine  to  cut  some  wood. 
Little  piece  of  corn  bread,  little  piece  of  fat, 
And  de  white  folks  grumble  if  you  eat  much  of  dat. 

*  *     *     * 

Frog  lie  sot  and  watched  the  alligator, 
Hopped  on  a  log  and  offered  him  a  'tater; 
The  alligator  grinned  and  tried  to  blush, 
Frog  he  laughed  and  said,  "Oh,  hush!" 

*  *     #     * 

Sam  stuck  a  needle  in  his  heel,  in  his  heel, 
Sam  stuck  a  needle  in  his  heel. 
A  one-eyed  black  snake  run  thu  the  fence, 
What  a  funny  chicken  a  terrapin  air, 
And  Sam  stuck  a  needle  in  his  heel. 


Harness  up  yo  bosses, 

Hey,  oh  hey ! 
Harness  up  yo  bosses, 

Hey,  oh  hey! 
We'll  show  you  how  to  drive  'em; 

Hurrah  for  Uncle  Sam. 

I've  wondered  and  wondered 

All  the  days  of  my  life, 
Where  you're  goin',  Mr.  Mooney, 

To  get  yourself  a  wife, 
Where  you're  goin',  where  you're  goin' 

To  get  yourself  a  wife. 

I'm  goin'  to  , 


An'  that  will  be  the  place 
To  get  Miss  Laura, 

If  God'll  give  me  grace — etc. 

Out  came  Miss  Laura 

All  dressed  in  silk, 
With  a  rose  in  her  hair 

And  white  as  milk — etc. 


SOME  BALLADS  OF  NORTH  CAROLINA.  29 

Johnstown's  a  mighty  flood, 
Johnstown's  a  mighty  flood, 
Johnstown's  a  mighty  flood, 

For  the  dam  was  bound  to  break. 

Fifty  thousand  souls  were  lost, 
Fifty  thousand  souls  were  lost, 
Fifty  thousand  souls  were  lost, 
For  the  dam  was  bound  to  break. 

*     *     *     * 

There  was  a  lady,  skin  and  bone; 

Such  a  thing  before  had  ne'er  been  known. 

She  walked  out  one  night  to  pray, 
She  walked  but  a  little  way. 

She  walked  up,  she  walked  down, 
She  saw  a  ghost  lying  on  the  ground. 

The  lady  to  the  spirit  said, 
"Shall  I  look  so  when  I  am  dead?" 

The  spirit  to  the  lady  said—!  !  !  Wah!  Ah!  Eh! 

By  traditional  songs  is  meant  such  songs  as  were  familiar 
to  the  old  generation — songs  that  were  sung  by  our  grand- 
mothers in  their  childhood  and  have  been  handed  down  from 
generation  to  generation  chiefly  by  oral  transmission.  Good 
examples  of  these  songs  are : 

"Suzana,  Don't  You  Cry." 

"Old  Dan  Tucker." 

"Jim  Crack  Corn." 

"A  Frog  He  Would  a- Wooing  Go." 

Of  these  songs  I  have  full  copies.  The  two  traditional 
songs  quoted  hereafter  were  perhaps  chiefly  serviceable  for 
the  entertainment  of  children.  The  first  one,  so  far  as  I 
know,  has  no  title.  The  second,  as  I  happen  to  know,  was 
as  popular  in  Massachusetts  as  it  was  in  early  days  in  North 
Carolina. 

Oh  who  will  wear  my  castor  boots,  castor  boots, 
Oh  who  will  wear  my  castor  boots? 
Oh  who  will  wear  my  castor  boots,  castor  boots, 
When  I  am  far  away? 


30  THE  NORTH  CAROLINA  BOOKLET. 

Oil  who  will  ride  the  old  black  mule,  old  black  mule? 
Oh  who  will  ride  the  old  black  mule,  old  black  mule, 
When  I  am  far  away? 

Oh  who  will  smoke  my  rusty  pipe,  rusty  pipe, 
Oh  who  will  smoke  my  rusty  pipe,  rusty  pipe? 
Oh  who  will  smoke  my  rusty  pipe, 
When  I  am  far  away? 

Oh  who  will  shoe  my  pretty  feet,  my  pretty  little  feet, 
Oh  who  will  shoe  my  pretty  little  feet,  my  pretty  little  feet? 
Oh  who  will  shoe  my  pretty  little  feet, 
When  I'm  in  a  far  away  land? 

Oh  who  will  glove  my  pretty  little  hand?  etc. 

Oh  I  will  shoe  your  pretty  little  feet,  etc., 
When  you're  in  a  far  distant  land. 

Oh  I  will  glove  your  pretty  little  hand,  etc., 
When  you're  in  a  far  distant  land. 

BILLY   BOT. 

Where  have  you  been,  Billy  Boy,  Billy  Boy, 

Where  have  you  been,  charming  Billy? 

I  have  been  to  seek  a  wife  for  the  comfort  of  my  life ; 

She's  a  young  thing  and  can  not  leave  her  mother. 

Did  she  ask  you  in,  Billy  Boy,  Billy  Boy? 
Yes,  she  asked  me  in  with  a  dimple  in  her  chin. 

Did  she  take  your  hat,  Billy  Boy,  Billy  Boy? 
Yes,  she  took  my  hat  and  she  threw  it  at  the  cat. 

Did  she  set  you  a  chair,  Billy  Boy,  Billy  Boy? 
Yes,  she  set  me  a  chair,  with  a  ribbon  in  her  hair. 

Can  she  make  a  cherry  pie,  Billy  Boy?  etc. 

Yes,  she  can  make  a  cherry  pie  quick  as  a  cat  can  wink  his  eye. 

How  old  is  she,  Billy  Boy?  etc. 

Three  times  seven,  twice  twenty,  and  eleven. 

Can  she  make  a  pudding  well,  Billy  Boy,  Billy  Boy? 
Can  she  make  a  pudding  well,  charming  Billy? 
She  can  make  a  pudding  well,  I  can  tell  it  by  the  smell, 
She's  a  young  thing  and  can  not  leave  her  mother. 

Can  she  make  up  a  bed  neat?  etc. 

She  can  make  a  bed  up  neat  from  the  head  to  the  feet,  etc. 


SOME  BALLADS  OF  NORTH  CAROLINA.  31 

Another  version : 

Where  have  you  been,  Billy  Boy,  Billy  Boy  ? 

Where  have  you  been,  charming  Billy? 

Oh,  I've  been  down  the  lane  for  to  see  my  Betsey  Jane, 

She's  a  young  thing  and  wants  to  leave  her  mammy. 

Hold  old  is  she,  Billy  Boy,  Billy  Boy?  etc. 

Three  times  six,  four  times  seven,  twenty-eight  and  eleven,  etc. 

How  tall  is  she?  etc. 

She's  as  tall  as  a  pine  and  as  straight  as  a  pumpkin  vine. 

Twice  six,  twice  seven,  three  times  twenty,  and  eleven. 

Naturally,  the  three  American  wars  produced  a  consider- 
able amount  of  popular  ballad  material.  A  partial  collec- 
tion has  already  been  made  of  this  material,  but  many  of 
the  most  vital  and  interesting  of  the  songs  are  still  floating 
among  the  people,  especially  the  folk  who  live  in  the  back 
country  and  on  the  frontier.  For  example,  take  a  single 
stanza  from  a  Confederate  song  of  the  Civil  War,  which  men- 
tions the  Louisiana  Tigers  and  the  Bucktail  Rangers  of  Penn- 
sylvania, whose  name  grew  out  of  the  bucktails  on  their  caps : 

The  Louisiana  Tigers 

They  charged  with  a  yell ; 
They  charged  the  Bucktail  Rangers, 

Damn  their  souls  to  hell. 

Another  popular  Confederate  song  was  an  adaptation  of 
"Wait  for  the  Wagon,"  the  chorus  of  which  ran : 

Wait  for  the  wagon, 

The  Confederate  wagon; 
O  wait  for  the  wagon, 

And  we'll  all  take  a  ride.  • 

Other  similar  parodies,  more  completely  worked  out,  for 
which  single  stanzas  will  serve  for  illustrative  purposes,  are : 

Yankee  Doodle  had  a  mind 

To  whip  the  Southern  traitors, 
Because  they  didn't  choose  to  live 

On  codfish  and  pertaters. 


32  THE    NORTH    CAROLINA    BOOKLET. 

Yankee  Doodle,  fa  so  la, 

Yankee  Doodle  Dandy; 
And  to  keep  his  courage  up 

He  took  a  drink  of  brandy. 

***** 

King  Abraham  is  very  weak, 

Old  Scott  has  got  the  measles; 
Manassas  is  now  off  at  last, 

Pop  go  the  weasels. 

I  came  from  old  Manassas 

With  a  pocketful  of  fun; 
I  killed  forty  Yankees 

With  a  single-barrel  gun. 

It  don't  make  a  nif-o-sniference 

To  either  you  or  I, 
Big  Yank,  little  Yank, 

All  run  or  die. 

The  two  parodies  are  taken  from  a  book  of  Southern  war 
songs  published  by  M.  T.  Richardson  &  Co.  in  1890.  There 
are,  of  course,  many  similar  ones  written  from  the  point  of 
view  of  the  North,  all  of  which  should  now  be  given  wide 
publication  as  interesting  human  mementoes  of  those  trou- 
blous days. 

The  negro  songs  that  have  come  to  me  from  North  Carolina 
are  mainly  religious.  A  number  of  interesting  fragments  of 
secular  songs  were,  however,  given  to  my  wife  by  Air.  Fred 
A.  Olds  of  Raleigh,  N.  C.  These  fragments  are  fairly  illus- 
trative. 

Turkey  buzzard,  turkey  buzzard, 

Take  me  on  your  wing; 
Carry  me  cross  de  ribber 
To  see  Sally  King. 

Buzzard  no  answer, 

Keep  on  flyin' ; 
Sally,  she's  a-waitin', 

Fairly  dyin'. 


SOME  BALLADS  OF  NORTH  CAROLINA.  33 

I'll  never  marry  an  old  maid, 

Tell  you  de  reason  why: 
Neck  so  long  and  stringy 
'Fraid  she'll  never  die. 

Git  along  home,  Cindy,  Cindy, 
Git  along  my  Cindy  gal, 
Way  down  in  Yallerbam. 

I'll  never  marry  a  po'  gal, 

Tell  you  de  reason  why: 
She'll  eat  up  all  yo'  rations, 

An'  fool  you  on  de  sly. 

Git  along,  etc. 

*  *     *     * 

I  don't  like  a  nigger  no  how, 
I  don't  like  a  nigger  no  how; 

A  nigger  and  a  mule 

Is  a  mighty  big  fool — 
Don't  like  a  nigger  no  how. 

I  don't  like  a  po'  white  man  no  how, 
I  don't  like  a  po'  white  man  no  how; 

Put  him  on  a  hoss, 

Thinks  he's  a  boss — 

Don't  like  a  po'  white  man  no  how. 

*  *     *     * 

Hush,  you  sinner, 

Don't  you  cry, 
Devil's  gwine  ter  git  you 

By  and  by. 

You  needn't  shout, 

You  needn't  laugh, 
For  you  is  only 

Just  de  chaff — 
For  a  few  days. 

Of  the  same  nature  is  a  small  fragment  sent  in  by  Miss 
Dickson,  of  Winston- Salem.  This,  she  says,  was  a  favorite 
of  Charleston,  South  Carolina,  darkies  before  the  war,  and 
was  current  in  other  localities : 

I  gone  down  town  wid  my  pocket  full  o'  tin, 

Dooda!   dooda! 
I  come  back  home  wid  my  hat  cave  in, 
Dooda,  dooda,  day! 
3 


34  THE  NORTH  CAROLINA  BOOKLET. 

I  boun'  ter  run  all  night,  an'  I  boun'  ter  run  all  day, 
I  bet  my  money  on  de  bob-tail  hoss, 
Dooda,  dooda,  day! 

Still  another,  which  was  sung  to  my  wife  by  a  cook  in 
Kaleigh,  is  described  by  the  negro  woman  as  "awful  pitiful." 

Poor  Joseph  been  sick  pinin'  for  you, 
Dear  father,  dear  father,  come  home; 
This  is  the  message  I  heard  him  say — 
Come  home,  the  work  is  all  done. 

Refrain: 

Come  home,  come  home, 
Dear  father,  dear  father,  come  home, 
This  is  the  message  I  heard  him  say — • 
Come  home,  the  work  is  all  done. 

My  mother  is  too, 

Dear  father,  dear  father,  won't  that  do? 
My  mother  is  sick  and  wantin'  you  too- 
Dear  father,  dear  father,  come  home. 

Mother  said  her  love  was  true, 
O  father,  O  father,  won't  that  do  ? 
Mother  said  her  love  was  just  as  true — 
0  father,  won't  that  do  ? 

It  is  difficult  to  choose  among  the  large  body  of  religious 
songs  known  by  the  oldtime  darkies  of  North  Carolina.  Miss 
Dickson  says,  in  a  letter  enclosing  several,  some  of  which  I 
quote  later:  "The  songs  enclosed  are  those  I  can  fully  recall. 
They  are  some  of  those  sung  by  the  members  of  my  father's 
two  negro  congregations  in  Orangeburg  and  Barnwell.  They 
are  so  entirely  different  from  those  sung  elsewhere  that  I 
can  not  help  thinking  that  there  was  some  unknown  minstrel 
who  sung  and  whose  songs  spread  among  them." 

1.  Oh,  come  home,  come  home,  come  home,  my  Fader's  children; 
Come  home,  come  home,  an'  He  ain't  got  weary  yet. 

Refrain: 

Oh,  He  call  you  by  de  lightnin', 
An'  He  call  you  by  de  t'under, 
An'  He  call  you  by  de  middle  night  cry. 
Oh,  come  home,  etc. 


SOME    BALLADS    OF    NORTH    CAROLINA.  35 

2.  Oh,  come  home,  come  home,  come  home  to  my  Fader's  kingdom,  etc. 

3.  Oh,  come  home,  come  home,  come  home  to  de  cross  of  Jesus. 

4.  Oh,  come  home,  come  home,  come  home  to  de  Saviour's  bosom. 

*  *     *     * 

Refrain:  patience. 

It's  good  fuh  to  hab  some  patience,  patience,  patience, 

It's  good  fuh  to  hab  some  patience  fuh  to  wait  upon  de  Lawd. 

My  brudder,  won't  you  come  and  go  wid  me, 
My  brudder,  won't  you  come  and  go  wid  me, 
Fuh  to  wait  upon  de  Lawd? 

Refrain: 

It's  good  to  hab  some  patience,  etc. 

My  sister,  won't  you  come  and  go  wid  me?  etc. 
My  fader,  won't  you  come  and  go  wid  me?  etc. 
My  muddah,  won't  you  come  and  go  wid  me?  etc. 

(Last  verse)  : 
De  ship  is  in  de  ha'bor,  ha'bor,  ha'bor, 
De  ship  is  in  de  ha'bor,  ha'bor,  ha'bor, 
An  I'se  a-gwine  home. 

*  *     *     * 

O  section,  don't  ring  that  bell  no  mo'   [to  be  sung  three  times]. 
In  that  mornin',  my  Lord,  in  that  mornin',  my  Lord, 
In  that  mornin'  when  the  Lord  says  hurry. 

2.  0  Lord,  I'se  done  what  you  tole  me  to  do,  etc. 

3.  0  Raphael,  don't  stop  that  shinin'  sun,  etc. 

4.  O  Gambler,  you  can't  ride  this  train,  etc. 

5.  0  Gambler,  no  money  won't  pay  your  fare,  etc. 

6.  0  Micah  goin'  strike  dat  'vidin'  line,  etc. 

7.  0  Liar,  you  can't  ride  this  train,  etc. 

8.  0  Lord,  I  feel  like  a  motherless  child,  etc. 

9.  0  Lord,  I  wish  I  never  been  born,  etc. 
10.  0  Drinker,  you  can't  ride  this  train,  etc. 

Another  fragment : 

0  my  Lord,  you  promised  to  come  by  here  [three  times], 
In  de  mornin'  when  de  Lord  says  hurry. 

O  my  Lord,  I  want  to  be  yo'  chile  [three  times], 
In  de  mornin'  when  de  Lord  says  hurry. 


36  THE  NORTH  CAROLINA  BOOKLET. 

When  de  sun  fail  to  shine   [three  times] 
I'll  go  to  God  a-shoutin'. 

Refrain: 

You  may  have  all  dis  woiT   [three  times], 
But  glory  be  to  God. 

When  de  moon  turn  to  blood  [three  times] 
I'll  go  to  God  a-shoutin". 

*  :A  *■  * 

Lord's  goin'  set  dis  worl'  on  fire, 

Lord's  goin'  set  dis  worl'  on  fire  some  o'  dese  days, 

Lord's  goin'  set  dis  worl'  on  fire, 

Lord's  goin'  set  dis  worl'  on  fire  some  o'  dese  days. 

Lord  don't  want  no  coward  soldiers, 

Lord  don't  want  no  coward  soldiers  in  His  band, 

Lord  don't  want  no  coward  soldiers, 

Lord  don't  want  no  coward  soldiers  in  His  band. 

God's  goin'  ride  on  whistlin'  chariot  [repeat  as  first  verse]. 

I'm  goin'  tell  my  Jesus  howdy. 

I'm  goin'  kneel  roun'  de  union  table. 

I'm  goin'  walk  an'  talk  wid  angels. 

I'm  goin'  ride  on  de  whistlin'  chariot. 

We're  all  goin'  kneel  'roun'  de  union  table. 

We'll  all  be  asleep,  yes  Lord,  in  glory. 

We  all  shall  bow  our  heads  in  glory. 

We  all  goin'  drink  wine,  drink  wine  in  glory. 

Precisely  similar  in  spirit  and  imagery  are  the  religious 
songs  yet  popular  among  the  darkies  of  the  Brazos  River 
bottom  cotton  plantations  of  Texas.  One  of  the  most  mov- 
ing of  a  large  number  of  these  songs  in  my  possession,  I  heard 
sung  not  long  ago  with  powerful  effect  by  a  negro  congrega- 
tion hid  among  the  trees,  just  on  the  edge  of  one  of  the  big 
fields  of  cotton  in  Brazos  County,  Texas. 

I  got  a  mother  in  de  Beulah  Land, 

Outshine  the  sun,  outshine  the  sun,  outshine  the  sun; 
I  got  a  mother  in  de  Beulah  Land, 

Outshine  the  sun,  far  beyond  the  sun. 


SOME  BALLADS  OP  NORTH  CAROLINA.  37 

Do  Lord,  do  Lord, 

Do  remember  me; 
Do  Lord,  do  Lord, 

Do  remember  me; 
Do  Lord,  do  Lord, 

Do  remember  me,  do  remember  me. 

When  my  blood  run  chilly  and  cold 

I  got  to  go,  I  got  to  go,  I  got  to  go; 
When  my  blood  run  chilly  and  cold 

I  got  to  go,  way  beyond  the  sun. — Chorus. 

Right  under  de  cross,  dere  lies  your  crown, 
Dere  lies  your  crown,  dere  lies  your  crown; 
Right  under  de  cross,  dere  lies  your  crown, 
Way  beyond  de  sun. — Chorus. 

The  melody,  the  pathos,  the  vivid  phrasing,  and  the  touch- 
ing faith  of  these  old  songs  will  finally  win  a  place  for  them, 
in  my  judgment,  in  the  future  history  of  American  literature. 

The  most  valuable  of  the  mountain  songs  from  North  Caro- 
lina are  probably  those  that  have  come  from  Miss  Edith  B. 
Fisk,  of  White  Rock,  North  Carolina.  Many  of  these  are 
survivors  of  the  old  English  and  Scottish  ballads  yet  held  in 
cherished  possession  by  the  direct  lineal  descendants  of  the 
men  and  women  who  chanted  the  ballads  in  the  old  country 
centuries  ago.  Such  ballads  as  "Fair  Eleanor,"  "Lord 
.Thomas,"  "Sweet  Margaret,"  and  "Barbara  Allen,"  are 
widely  known  and  yet  sung  to  the  old  tunes  by  the  modern 
people.  Other  songs  popular  among  them  are  local  songs  of 
historic  interest,  or  local  songs  recounting  late  events,  usually 
tragedy.  Moreover,  among  the  mountains  are  found  many 
of  the  frontier  ballads  of  America  that  have  drifted  back  east. 
Such  songs  as  "The  Buffalo  Skinners,"  "The  Cowboy's  La- 
ment," and  "The  Dying  Cowboy,"  picked  up  in  Texas,  and 
printed  in  my  volume  of  Cowboy  Songs,  are  often  found 
among  the  mountaineers  in  the  Asheville  district.  Miss  Fisk, 
in  writing  of  an  old  woman  from  whom  she  secured  numerous 
songs,  says:     "She  says  she  has  always  known  them.     When 


38  THE  NORTH  CAROLINA  BOOKLET. 

she  was  a  girl  that  'is  all  they  studied  about/  and  if  she  heard 
a  song  once  she  knew  it.  There  was  an  old  man  who  used  to 
sing  many  a  song  when  he  'got  drunk/  and  all  gathered  about 
him  eagerly.  She  assured  me  that  she  knows  'one  hundred 
love  songs/  and  'one  hundred  songs  of  devilment.'  She  gave 
me  Brothers  and  Sisters  and  Pretty  Sarah,  playing  and  sing- 
ing them  for  me." 

From  this  "old  woman"  Miss  Fisk  copied  the  following 
interesting  songs  of  the  Civil  War : 

It  was  our  hard  general's  false  treachery 
Which  caused  our  destruction  in  that  great  day. 
Oh,  he  is  a  traitor,  his  conduct  does  show; 
He  was  seen  in  the  French  fort  six  hours  ago. 

And  to  be  marked  by  the  French,  I  am  sure, 
There  round  his  hat,  a  white  handkerchief  he  wore; 
And  one  of  our  bold  soldiers  he  stood  by  a  tree, 
And  there  he  slew  many  till  him  he  did  see. 

"Would  you  be  like  an  Indian,  to  stand  by  a  tree?" 
And  with  his  broad  sword,  cut  him  down  instantly. 
His  brother  stood  by  him,  and  saw  he  was  slain. 
His  passion  grew  on  him,  he  could  not  refrain. 

"Although  you're  a  general,  brave  Braddock,"  said  he, 

"Revenged  for  the  death  of  my  brother  I'll  be." 
When  Washington  saw  that,  he  quickly  drew  nigh, 
Said,  "Oh,  my  bold  soldier,  I'd  have  you  forbear." 

"No,  I  will  take  his  life,  if  it  ruins  us  all." 
And  Washington  turned  round  to  not  see  him  fall. 
He  up  with  his  musket,  and  there  shot  him  down. 
Then  Braddock  replied,  "I  received  a  wound." 

"If  here  in  this  place,  my  life  I  should  yield, 
Pray  carry  your  general,  boys,  out  of  the  field." 

Then  General  Gatefore,  he  took  the  command, 
And  fought  like  a  hero  for  old  Eng-e-land. 
He  fled  through  the  ranks,  like  a  cat  to  her  game, 
But  alas,  and  alack,  he  was  short-i-ly  slain. 


SOME  BALLADS  OP  NORTH  CAROLINA.  39 

Then  General  Gates,  he  took  the  command, 
And  fought  like  a  hero  for  old  Eng-e-land. 
He  wished  that  the  river  had  never  been  crossed 
And  so  many  Englishmen  shamefully  lost. 

We  had  for  to  cross,  it  was  at  the  very  last, 
And  crossing  over  the  river  they  killed  us  so  fast. 
Men  fell  in  the  river  till  they  stopped  up  the  flood, 
And  the  streams  of  that  river  ran  down  red  with  blood. 


Brave  Washington  he  led  the  way  to  victory  and  renown, 
Planted  the  tree  of  liberty  Great  Britain  can't  pull  down. 
The  roots  they  spread  from  shore  to  shore, 

The  branches  reach  the  sky; 
The  cause  of  freedom  we  adore, 

We'll  conquer,  boys,  or  die. 

Brave  Tennessee  has  sent  a  band 

To  fight  at  New  Orleans; 
With  British  blood  we'll  wash  the  land, 

The  Tories  cord  the  sea. 

And  with  a  shout  our  eagle  roared, 

And  fluttered  as  she  flew; 
Her  arms  are  like  a  lion  grown, 

Her  arms  are  ever  true. 

There's  Iowa  and  Kentucky, 

New  knights  with  heart  and  hand; 
There's  several,  too,  the  North  we'll  fight, 

Our  Union  to  defend. 

"Pretty  Sarah"  and  "Owen's  Confession"  are  fairly  illus- 
trative of  the  songs  of  local  origin. 

When  I  came  to  this  country,  in  1829, 

I  saw  many  lovyers,  but  I  didn't  see  mine. 

I  looked  all  around  me  and  saw  I  was  alone, 
And  me  a  poor  stranger,  a  long  way  from  home. 

It's  not  this  long  journey  I'm  dreading  to  go, 
Nor  leaving  my  country,  nor  the  debts  that  I  owe. 

There's  nothing  to  pester,  nor  trouble  my  mind, 
Like  leaving  pretty  Sarah,  my  darling,  behind. 


4:0  THE  NORTH  CAROLINA  BOOKLET. 

My  love,  she  won't  have  me,  as  I  do  understand, 
She  wants  a  freeholder,  and  I  have  no  land. 

But  I  can  maintain  her  with  silver  and  gold, 

And  it's  many  pretty  fine  things  my  love's  house  can  hold. 

I  wish  I  was  a  poet,  and  could  write  a  fine  hand, 
I'd  write  my  love  a  letter  that  she  could  understand. 
I'd  send  it  by  the  waters  when  the  water  overflows, 
I  think  of  pretty  Sarah  wherever  she  goes. 

I  wish  I  was  a  dove,  and  had  wings  and  could  fly, 
About  my  love's  dwelling  this  night  I'd  draw  nigh. 
And  in  her  lily  white  arms  all  night  I  would  lay, 
And  watch  some  little  window  for  the  dawning  of  day. 

As  pretty  Sarah,  pretty  Sarah,  pretty  Sarah,  I  know, 
How  much  I  love  you,  I  never  can  show. 
At  the  foot  of  old  Coey,  on  the  mountain's  sad  brow, 
I  used  to  love  you  dearly — and  I  don't  hate  you  now. 


OWEN'S    CONFESSION. 

Come,  all  ye  good  people,  far  and  near, 

That  has  come  here  this  day  to  see  my  body  put  to  death- 

Oh,  for  my  soul  do  pray ! 

I  would  have  you  take  warning  from  what  you  now  do  see; 
I  pray  you  trust  in  honesty,  and  shun  bad  company. 

December  past,  in  ninety-eight,  as  you  may  understand, 
That  was  the  time  we  set  out  upon  this  cruel  plan. 

Lewis  Collins  was  a  man  that  enticed  me  to  go, 
To  my  eternal  ruin,  to  my  reproaching  woe. 

It  was  our  intention,  a  fortune  for  to  make, 

Though,  poor  and  happy  men,  we  were  met  with  a  mistake. 

I  went  so  far  against  the  will  of  my  poor  wife  so  dear, 
The  night  before  I  left  her  my  shirt  she  bathed  in  tears. 

Then  down  to  Mr.  Irlen's,  Ohe  therefore  I  was  bent; 
To  do  any  murder  it  was  not  my  intent, 
Though,  making  for  his  money,  he  made  toward  his  gun — 
And  to  save  my  own  life,  Ohe  then  I  shot  him  down. 


SOME    BALLADS    OF    jSTORTH    CAROLINA.  41 

And  to  get  his  money  we  quickly  did  prepare, 
As  it  was  well  ordered,  we  got  but  little  there. 

It  being  the  first  crime  of  the  sort  that  ever  I  had  done, 

My  guilty  conscience  checked  me  so  that  from  the  house  I  run. 

Then  to  quit  my  company,  Ohe  therefore  I  was  bent, 

To  go  to  Wilkes  among  my  friends,  for  that  was  my  intent. 

But,  ohe,  his  sad  deluding  he  prest  on  me  so  hard, 
"As  for  the  crime  that  we  have  done,  why  should  you  it  regard?" 

By  his  insinuation  some  comfort  I  did  take, 

And  freely  went  along  with  him  to  my  unhappy  fate. 

The  poor  and  unhappy  rich  I  was  to  go  on  such  a  cause, 
And  now  I  am  condemned  to  die  by  justice  and  by  law. 

I  hear  the  carriage  coming  my  body  for  to  bear 
To  the  place  of  execution,  death  to  encounter  there. 

So  fare  you  well,  my  loving  wife,  likewise  my  children  dear, 
William  Owen  is  my  name,  all  ye  that  want  to  hear. 

Farewell  to  sun,  moon,  stars,  all  things  that  in  them  be, 
Farewell  to  earth  with  all  her  fruits — I  have  no  need  for  thee. 

Come,  sweet  Lord,  I  humbly  pray,  and  wash  me  in  Thy  blood, 
And  in  Thy  praise  continually  my  tongue  shall  sound  aloud. 

The  limits  of  this  article  forbid  a  detailed  discussion  of 
any  of  the  songs,  and  I  submit  as  the  concluding  one  a  song 
sung  to  my  wife  by  Mrs.  Davis  of  Britton's  Cove : 

There  was  a  Romish  lady  brought  up  in  Popery; 
Her  mother  always  taught  her  the  priest  she  must  obey. 
"0  pardon  me,  dear  mother,  I  humbly  pray  thee  now, 
For  unto  these  false  idols  I  can  no  longer  bow." 

Assisted  by  her  handmaid,  a  Bible  she  concealed, 
And  then  she  gained  instruction  till  God  His  love  revealed. 
No  more  she  prostrates  herself  to  pictures  decked  with  gold, 
But  soon  she  was  betrayed,  and  her  Bible  from  her  stole. 

"I'll  bow  to  my  dear  Jesus,  I'll  worship  God  unseen, 
I'll  live  by  faith  forever — the  works  of  men  are  vain. 
I  can  not  worship  angels  nor  pictures  made  by  men; 
Dear  mother,  use  your  pleasure,  but  pardon  if  you  can." 


42  THE  NORTH  CAROLINA  BOOKLET. 

With  grief  and  great  vexation,  her  mother  straight  did  go 
To  inform  the  Roman  clergy  the  cause  of  all  her  woe. 
The  priests  were  soon  assembled  and  for  the  maid  did  call, 
And  forced  her  in  the  dungeon  to  fright  her  soul  withal. 

The  more  they  strove  to  fright  her,  the  more  she  did  endure; 
Although  her  age  was  tender,  her  faith  was  strong  and  sure. 
The  chains  of  gold  so  costly  they  from  this  lady  took, 
And  she,  with  all  her  spirits,  the  pride  of  life  forsook. 

Before  the  Pope  they  brought  her  in  hopes  of  her  return, 
And  then  she  was  condemned  in  horrid  flames  to  burn. 
Before  the  place  of  torment  they  brought  her  speedily; 
With  lifted  hands  to  heaven  she  then  agreed  to  die. 

There  being  many  ladies  assembled  at  the  place, 
She  raised  her  eyes  to  heaven  and  begged  supplying  grace. 
"Weep  not,  ye  tender  ladies,  shed  not  a  tear  for  me, 
While  my  poor  body's  burning,  my  soul  the  Lord  shall  see. 

"Yourselves  ye  need  to  pity,  and  Zion's  deep  decay, 
Dear  ladies,  turn  to  Jesus,  no  longer  make  delay." 
In  comes  her  raving  mother,  her  daughter  to  behold, 
And  in  her  hand  she  brought  her  pictures  all  decked  with  gold. 

"0  take  from  me  these  idols,  remove  them  from  my  sight, 
Restore  to  me  my  Bible  wherein  I  take  delight. 
Alas,  my  aged  mother !     Why  on  my  ruin  bent  ? 
'Twas  you  who  did  betray  me,  but  I  am  innocent. 

"Tormentors,  use  your  pleasure,  and  do  as  you  think  best, 
I  hope  my  blessed  Jesus  will  take  my  soul  to  rest." 
Soon  as  these  words  were  spoken,  up  steps  the  man  of  death, 
And  kindled  up  the  fire  to  stop  her  mortal  breath. 

Instead  of  golden  bracelets,  with  chains  they  bound  her  fast. 
She  cried,  "My  God,  give  power — now  must  I  die  at  last? 
With  Jesus  and  His  angels  forever  I  shall  dwell; 
God,  pardon  priests  and  people,  and  so  I  bid  farewell." 

North  Carolina  collectors,  who  value  this  material  prop- 
erly, will  see  to  it,  I  feel  sure,  that  not  many  years  elapse 
before  all  this  interesting  material  is  taken  down  and  de- 
posited in  the  libraries  of  the  universities,  where,  in  after 
years,  it  will  be  invaluable  to  students  of  humanity.  These 
songs,  coming  straight  from  the  heart  of  the  folk,  simple  and 
direct,  reflecting  the  social  and  intimate  emotional  life  of  the 
people,  will  eventually  become  priceless  historical  documents. 


A    PAINTING    OF    THE    BAPTISM    OE    VIRGINIA    DARE.         43 


A  PAINTING  OF  THE  BAPTISM  OF 
VIRGINIA  DARE 


At  the  annual  meeting  of  the  North  Carolina  Society 
Daughters  of  the  Revolution,  held  in  Raleigh  at  the  home  of 
the  Corresponding  Secretary,  Mrs.  Paul  H.  Lee,  in  January, 
1911,  a  most  important  resolution,  and  one  that  should  arouse 
the  interest  of  all  patriotic  North  Carolinians,  was  introduced 
by  Mrs.  E.  E.  Moffitt,  who  was  the  guest  of  honor  on  that 
occasion. 

This  resolution  was  to  raise  funds  sufficient  to  place  in  the 
Nation's  Capitol  at  Washington  a  painting  of  the  baptism 
of  the  first  white  child  born  on  American  soil,  the  best  known 
of  all  children  whose  names  are  recorded  in  the  annals  of 
American  history — the  ill-fated  Virginia  Dare.  It  is  need- 
less to  state  that  the  North  Carolina  Society,  Daughters  of 
the  Revolution,  which  is  ever  keenly  alive  to  the  necessity  of 
guarding  and  preserving  our  State's  noble  past,  unanimously 
adopted  this  resolution. 

Below  is  given  the  resolve  in  full : 

FOREWORD. 

Among  all  the  incidents  of  the  early  history  of  this  nation,  no  one 
thing  should  stand  out  in  bolder  relief,  more  pathetic,  or  more  signifi- 
cant of  mighty  and  holy  purpose  than  the  baptism  of  Virginia  Dare, 
which  took  place  on  Roanoke  Island,  on  the  shores  of  North  Carolina, 
August  18,  1587. 

Whereas,  In  consideration  of  this  great  historic  event  which  took 
place  within  the  limits  of  North  Carolina,  and  as  no  great  public  recog- 
nition has  yet  been  made  to  bring  before  the  world  the  great  intention 
of  our  great  colonizer,  Sir  Walter  Raleigh,  therefore  be  it 

Resolved,  That  as  this,  the  "North  Carolina  Society  of  the  Daughters 
of  the  Revolution,"  which  has  for  its  object  the  perpetuating  and  com- 
memorating great  events  in  North  Carolina  history,  take  steps  to  have 
a  painting  executed  of  such  merit  as  to  entitle  it  to  a  place  among  the 
other  notable  paintings  depicting  great  scenes  in  the  history  of  this 
nation,  which  now  adorn  the  Capitol  at  Washington. 

Second,  That  this  Society  raise  sufficient  funds  for  the  picture,  through 


